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Game, set and match

Rugby Fitted Kitchens owner Trevor Scott puts on his game face and is served up with a chance to meet tennis star and Dekton brand ambassador Rafael Nadal at a special event organised by Cosentino in London

Early in November, together with a number of fabricators, specifiers, architects and customers, I was invited by Cosentino to enjoy an exclusive evening reception with world number-one tennis star Rafael Nadal held at the London Marriott County Hall Hotel.

Cosentino manufactures Silestone and Dekton solid surfaces and Rafa Nadal is the worldwide brand ambassador for Dekton. He was in London for the upcoming ATP Masters Cup at the O2 arena.

Dekton in return is one of the main sponsors of Nadal’s Tennis Academy in Manacor, Spain.

As I made it to town fairly early and I dropped into Cosentino’s London Design Centre, where I was keen to see slab-sized samples of the new Dekton Industrial Series and the latest Silestone designs. These large-format patterns really do need to be seen on a larger scale to be truly appreciated.

A small group of fabricators and retailers had the same idea and, while enjoying some quality jamón ibérico, Manchego cheese and a glass of Rioja, we chatted about trade, how the year had gone and what next year might bring.

Most were upbeat, as the back end of this year had proved to be strong, but all had concerns about the possible negative effects of Brexit on consumer confidence as we move into the new year.

I also had the pleasure of meeting kitchen designer and retailer Jo Buckerfield. I found her very knowledgeable, confident and looking forward to the opening of her new kitchen showroom in Swansea.

I don’t think either of us realised who the other was, until it was pointed out to me much later by our Cosentino rep.

We might have crossed swords over the design qualification debate a few months back but, putting that to one side, Jo looks set to make a name for herself in south Wales and I wish her the best of luck moving forward.

The evening was also an opportunity for us all to meet the new Cosentino UK area director, Paul Gidley, who replaces Christophe Gontier as he moves onwards and upwards within the organisation. By Paul’s own admission, big boots to fill, and I’m sure we all wish him well in his new role.

Nadal, in his chat with Radio 4 presenter Gary Richardson, expressed his pleasure at being associated with a family firm as such as Cosentino and said that for him personally this was also very important.

Paul presented Nadal with a giant tennis racket made from Dekton, which brought a smile to his face. Finally, Nadal circulated among the audience giving everyone the opportunity to get a selfie with the great man – I certainly got mine!

It was a great networking opportunity and I’m sure all who attended had a great evening.